A Death in the Family
by TheForceIsStrongWithThisOne
Summary: A Titan dies and the team has to cope with its loss. Chapter 5 is published. Complete
1. Chapter 1

A peaceful stillness hung in the air. The room was dark and the only sound was that of two people snoring softly in the predawn morning. The bedcovers were rumpled as they had both been tossing and turning throughout the night, as couples often did when they slumbered together.

A digital alarm clock broke the silence, piercing it with a sharp, shrill series of beeps which progressively became louder until the male half of the couple groaned and reached for the clock. After several blind attempts he found the alarm and shut it off. Still groaning, he buried his face into his pillow.

"C'mon, get up; it's your turn to get the kids ready for school." His mate muttered at him, the sleep still lingering in her voice.

"It's still dark." He complained. "It's uncivilized to get up before the sun rises."

"Stop complaining and get up." She retorted as she sat up in the bed and stretched. "Daylight savings time ends in two weeks. Just be glad you can work at home. I have to get up and be out the door by 7:30."

He ignored her, rolling over in the bed.

"C'mon, hon, get up. If the kids aren't downstairs having the breakfast by the time I'm done getting ready they'll be late for school." She castigated him as she turned on the lights in their bedroom.

"I know, I know." He moaned as he shielded his eyes. "I'm getting up now."

The woman, who appeared to be in her late twenties to early thirties, pulled off the oversized T shirt she was wearing and tossed it into a hamper before entering the bathroom in her birthday suit. Her mate finally sat up and swung his legs over the edge of the bed. He sat there, motionless, for a few minutes until he heard the toilet flush in the bathroom, which signaled to him that it was time to rise. Grabbing the pair of boxer shorts he shed the night before he slipped them on and plucked a robe that was draped over a chair. He put it on without closing its front and trudged out of the room.

He knew the routine, heck; he probably could have done it in his sleep. He reached the first door in the hallway and pounded on it with his fist.

"Melissa! Time to get up!"

"Isn't it Saturday?" A small voice whimpered through the door.

"No, it's Wednesday and you know it. Now get up before mom catches you snoozing."

He continued to the next door, which had a large sign on it that proclaimed "Jake's Room – Stay Out!" He ignored the sign and barged in. Jake was sound asleep in his bed. His father grabbed the bedcovers and pulled them away, exposing the boxer clad 10 year old boy to the chilly autumn predawn air.

"Dad! It's cold." The boy protested sleepily.

"I don't want to hear about it, just get ready for school."

He quickly exited the boy's room and headed for the staircase. As he passed the girl's room he pounded on the door a second time.

"I'm up, I'm up!" She shouted.

He ignored her and made his way down the stairs. After retrieving the newspaper from the front porch he made his way to the kitchen. The coffee maker was pre programmed and a fresh pot was waiting for him. He poured a steaming cup of the bitter drink and took a deep swig of it, savoring its caffeinated glory. After putting the mug down he lumbered over to the side by side fridge/freezer and opened the freezer section, from which he produced a box of frozen, store bought waffles. He shoved four of them into the toaster and quickly set the table for the kids and his wife, pouring orange juice for them. He would eat his breakfast later at a more relaxed pace.

Thankfully the two kids arrived before their mother did. They retrieved their now warm waffles from the toaster, shoving four more in before smothering the contents of their plates with pancake syrup. They ate in silence and he wandered over to the family room, turning on the TV as he always did when he had morning duty. With his coffee mug in his hand, he sat down to catch the morning news. The news that morning was … unexpected.

He frowned as there was an image of Titans Tower in the background, with the rising sun shining on it. The reporter was babbling wide eyed, speaking incoherently.

"What the hell is going on?" He asked no one in particular as he continued to watch.

Suddenly he too became wide eyed in shock. Without saying a word he leaped from the couch and ran to the bottom of the stair case, where he stopped and shouted at the top of his lungs.

"TARA! TARA!"

The blond woman, who hadn't finished getting ready, emerged from their bedroom.

"What is it, Gar? What's wrong?"

_**-( scene break )-**_

Tara Logan sat on the couch with her two children, staring in disbelief at the news bulletin on the TV. A clearly disheveled female reporter spoke, her voice betraying her own shock and disbelief.

_We now have official confirmation from the Titans. At approximately 4AM this morning the Titan known as Raven was killed during a mission against Brother Blood …_

Melissa Logan turned to her mother, choking back sobs.

"They can't be right, mom, Aunt Raven … she isn't dead … she can't be."

Terra stared blankly at the screen, almost in a trance. Without warning the phone rang, snapping her out of her funk.

"Hello?" She murmured into the handset.

"Terra? It's me … Nightwing."

"Oh yeah … hi … we just saw the news on TV. Is it true?"

He voice was listless.

"Yeah, it's true. Where's Beast Boy?"

She paused before replying.

"He's upstairs, putting on his Doom Patrol costume. He'll be on his way soon."

She heard the former boy wonder choke back a sob.

"Tell him we're at the city morgue … I have to go … we'll talk more later on."

"I will … Dick … is there anything I can do?"

"Just take care of Beast Boy when he gets back … Raven's body …"

He sighed before continuing.

"… it isn't pretty. Look, we'll swing by the house tonight, OK?"

"Sure … we'll see you later. I'll make some dinner for everyone."

Terra restored the wireless handset to its cradle. She was suddenly feeling overwhelmed and almost didn't notice that 13 year old Melissa was now bawling and Jake was sitting very quietly at her side. She instinctively reached over and drew her daughter into a hug. Terra blinked repeatedly to clear her own eyes from the tears that were welling in them. As her eyes regained their focus she saw the group portrait that hung next to the TV. It was taken on their wedding day. Raven, dressed in her leotard and cape, stood at the far right.

Terra recalled the events that led to that happier day.

_**-( scene break )-**_

Just over a year had passed since the day Beast Boy saw Terra at Murakami School. Her final words still rang in his ears: "Things Change."

Terra's rejection sent the changeling into what was for him an uncharacteristically long depression, which lasted for months and showed no signs of abating. In a surprise move, Raven approached the changeling and … talked with him.

Their chats took place in her room and sometimes lasted for hours. Their three teammates always knew that the green and gray Titans cared deeply about each other. What did surprise them was that after a month the Chromatically Challenged Couple™ began to go out on dates, which they both insisted were not dates as they both vehemently denied that they were in a romantic relationship. The others knew to leave well enough alone and did not tease the young couple about their budding relationship.

Things were progressing slowly but steadily between the two, and on his 17th birthday she actually gave him a very timid and chaste peck on the cheek, which when one considers that it was Raven who kissed him it was indeed a very big deal. Their friends were pleased beyond words but remained silent, out of fear of jinxing their budding relationship.

Jinx might have moved to Star City with Kid Flash, but her residual bad luck seemed to be in the air. Just two weeks after the changeling's birthday the blond geomorph, dressed in her old costume, reappeared at the Tower, asking to be readmitted to the team.

There of course was a great deal of skepticism when she literally returned from the dead. Cyborg ran DNA and other tests, including fingerprints and brainwave matches. In the end he confirmed that she was the one and only Terra.

Beast Boy was overjoyed. Terra apologized to him for send him away when he first found her. She then surprised everyone when she dropped onto her right knee and begged Beast Boy to be her boyfriend. Needless to say, he enthusiastically agreed. Cyborg and Robin quickly congratulated the couple, and the Tin Man even said "It's about time."

Only Starfire noticed that Raven was out of sorts. The sorceress hid her disappointment masterfully behind her gray mask, but the princess knew her all too well and could read through the blank poker face Raven often wore. She attempted to console Raven, who brushed her off, claiming she was fine and that there was no reason for her to be upset.

Terra rejoined the Team and things went well. The two women were cordial to each other, which surprised everyone. It was the shortly after Beast Boy's 18th birthday that there was a second "bomb" to be dropped on the team: Terra was pregnant.

Beast Boy and Terra were married and at Raven's insistence they retired to a civilian life to raise their soon to be born child, which they did. At first Beast Boy protested, saying that he should stay on the team, and that he and Raven always covered each other's backs. But Raven reasoned with him, insisting that he should retire and focus on being a father and that she would be fine without him watching out for her. Robin also agreed, and offered them a stipend to get them along during their transition into civilian life.

Terra remembered the day they moved out as if it was yesterday. Cyborg threw a huge party for them, which was attended by the extended Titans family. Everyone was there, everyone … except for Raven.

_**-( scene break )-**_

The former Beast Boy entered the chilly morgue examination room. His nostrils were assaulted with the tell tale smells of antiseptic and formaldehyde. The Medical Examiner had already performed an autopsy and filed her report and she was already gone, leaving the Titans alone to mourn their lost friend. He entered the room cautiously, as if afraid of disturbing the dead who slept in the ubiquitous drawers with tags dangling from their toes.. At the far end of the room he saw Nightwing and Starfire, who did not bring their young daughter Nightstar to witness the grisly scene. The princess was weeping silently while her husband beckoned the changeling to approach. Cyborg, Wally (who was now the Flash) and Jinx intercepted him.

"Are you sure you want to see her, B?"

The changeling nodded. Cyborg patted him on the shoulder and he approached the table where Raven's lifeless body lay in state. Her eyes were closed and her violet hair, which she now wore long, was stained with her own blood.

Garfield shivered as he gazed on her face, which was far paler that usual. He stopped about two feet from the table. Raven's body was covered by a surgical sheet and his first thought was to wonder if she was cold, which he immediately knew was and absurd thing to think. He stood still for the longest time, not knowing what to do next. He then stepped forward and stood next to the table, where he once again paused.

Surprising himself he pulled the sheet away from her body and gasped. There was a hole in the middle of her chest big enough to fit a softball. He stared at the gaping wound in abject horror, through which he could see her internal organs. He immediately surmised that she died nearly instantly as she probably lost most of her blood in just a few moments through that monstrous wound. He took her cold hand and held it as tears dripped down his face. After several minutes he covered her back up and turned to his friends.

"Brother Blood did this to her?" His voice croaked.

"Actually, it's a new Brother Blood." Cyborg replied. "And this one is far worse than the other guy … he's sick …he … he actually drank her blood after killing her."

The changeling's face looked as hard as flint.

"How did this happen? Raven's the most powerful Titan. How did some stupid wannabe take her down?" His voice trembled.

"That's the problem. She knew she was powerful, so she took risks that she shouldn't have, she's been doing it for years. She just wouldn't listen." Dick replied. "The new Brother Blood, he's just a 14 year old kid. She thought he wasn't a real threat and got distracted. He got behind her … she never saw it coming." Nightwing's voice choked up.

The changeling grimaced as he looked away.

"This is my fault. I never should have left the team. Raven's dead because I wasn't there, covering her back."

He turned back to Raven and fell to his knees, weeping bitterly.

"I'm sorry, Raven, I'm so sorry." He whimpred.

_**-( scene break )-**_

I thought of making this a one shot, but I think it will have 2 or 3 chapters.


	2. Chapter 2

"I'm sorry, Raven, I'm so sorry." He whimpered.

He leaned over the table and looked at her face. Her smell, the combination of lavender and jasmine that she always wore, was gone and all that remained was the stench of death. Tears fell from his face and like gentle raindrops landed on her checks, dripping down as if they were her own tears. He screwed his eyes shut as he tried in vain to regain control of his emotions.

He felt a pair of hands of his shoulders and turned around. Starfire, who now stood at six feet 3 inches, towered over him. Of all the Titans she was the one who had physically changed the most. She was no longer the skinny teenager she was when they first met in front of the wedge shaped pizzeria so many years before, when Raven once told them that "maybe fighting isn't the answer". The princess now had the physique of an Amazon, with bulging muscles. Her crimson hair was now long and unruly while her attire was far more revealing, especially around her now very ample bosom.

Nevertheless, some things did not change. She drew her friend into a soft and comforting hug.

"She died bravely, Garfield, she died a hero's death." She murmured to him. "But do not blame yourself. As we all have, Raven changed, and unfortunately it was not all for the best."

The two friends remained in their embrace, finally releasing each other. The changeling, wearing his old and now slightly tight fitting Doom Patrol costume, turned to Nightwing.

"So who was this guy? What happened to the old Brother Blood?"

Nightwing crossed his arms. The changeling had been away from the team for a long time, and while much had changed, other things did not. He immediately read Dick's body language and he could tell that his former leader was disturbed.

"We don't know what happened to him. He vanished three years ago, without a trace. This new guy appeared about 6 months ago. We don't know much about him. He claims that the one we knew as Brother Blood was an impostor, a usurper. We did some research and discovered that he wasn't lying. There is a lineage of Brother Blood that goes back over centuries. Even more disturbing, we learned that they were a Trigonic cult. The one we first knew as Brother Blood, the head of the HIVE academy, was a mentalist, and he had nothing to do with Trigon. We've suspected for some time that the kid, whose name we've learned is Sebastian, killed Brother Blood and took his place."

The changeling looked visibly disturbed.

"Trigon? Are you saying that the new Brother Blood has ties to Trigon?" He asked incredulously.

"I'm afraid so. He was obsessed with Raven from the moment he arrived. He would say strange, creepy things about her, of mingling their blood, drinking her essence and even stranger things."

He switched his gaze towards Cyborg.

"I want to see him. I want to see what happened."

"Are you sure, B?"

He nodded grimly. "I am."

Cyborg had always recorded their missions with his cybernetic eye. This of course limited playbacks to whatever he was watching at the time. Years later, he added holographic sensors to his gear and was now able to record missions in a full 360 degree panoramic and 3D recording. The Tin Man nodded and a small sphere popped out of his shoulder. The morgue suddenly transformed and they were in what appeared to be a large cave. Unlike his predecessor, Sebastian's goons were men and women, armed with powerful energy weapons, which they fired at the Titans.

Beast Boy quickly found Sebastian's image and approached it. He then located Raven, who was engaging the henchmen, destroying their weapons and knocking them out with her dark energy. Gar was immediately able to see that she was being sloppy and careless with her tactics. Sebastian so far had been silent, but finally he made his voice heard.

"You will be mine, Raven, and I will return you to your father as a token of my devotion."

Raven blasted him with her dark energy, but he easily dodged her attack. Gar could see from the expression on her face that she was irritated by the young boy, but had to redirect her attention to a new brigade of goons that arrived while Sebastian vanished into the cave's deep and dark shadows. Garfield searched for him, ignoring the holographic battle that raged around him. After a few minutes he saw Blood suddenly reappear with some sort of projectile weapon. He aimed at Raven, who was facing away from him, and fired.

"Raven! Look out!" The changeling shouted at the holographic image of the half demoness, who was levitating above the battle.

The holographic Raven neither heard him, nor reacted. He couldn't see the projectile, as it sped like a bullet. All he saw was a cloud of red mist form around Raven's back. The giant bullet was expansive and it left a huge hole in her chest. She slowly rotated, and had a shocked expression on her face. She looked down at her chest and saw the gaping cavity where her heart used to be. She opened her mouth to speak, but only blood came out. Her indigo eyes rolled up and she fell to the ground, where she landed with a dull thud.

Sebastian crowed triumphantly as he cast his weapon aside. Then he ran to Raven's corpse and began to lick up her blood from her wound.

Starfire was the first to react, and she pelted Blood with her star bolts. Once again, he leaped out of harm's way and vanished into the shadows. The playback froze with a close up on Raven.

"I've seen enough." The changeling announced in grim and firm voice.

"I'm sorry, Garfield, if this is anyone's fault, it's mine. I'm the team's leader. I should have grounded Raven, she wasn't fit to fight."

The changeling didn't acknowledge Nightwing's mea culpa and instead focused on the holographic Raven, whose crumpled figure looked like a broken doll.

"He's gonna pay for this." The changeling growled in a guttural voice.

"We will bring him to justice, Gar, you have my guarantee."

"Justice? Screw that! I want Blood's head on a pike. And I'm coming back to the team."

"Revenge isn't the Titans way, you know that."

"Yeah, I know. Doesn't mean I don't want to kill him … so where do we start?"

Nightwing tensed up.

"There is no 'we', Gar. You retired from the team 13 years ago. You're out of training. You aren't a Titan anymore."

"Bullshit, I'm stronger than ever."

"Maybe physically, but you aren't prepared to be a Titan again. And besides, you have a family. The last thing I want to happen is to have to tell Terra that something happened to you."

"But Dick …"

Nightwing raised his hand, gesturing him to be silent.

"You're going to have to leave this to us, Gar. The entire extended Titans family is going to help. We will capture him and he will pay for what he has done."

Gar balled his fists.

"I'm extended Titans family too! You can't shut me out of this, Dick. Raven was my friend. Do you really expect me to just go home and forget what I just saw?"

Starfire placed a calming hand on his shoulder. "We will never forget what happened." She soothed him.

Gar placed his palm on his forehead and began to weep.

"Why was she so careless? Why?"

"It's hard to say." Nightwing replied. "It happened slowly, over a very long time. It happened so slowly, that we didn't notice … or I chose to not notice."

Starfire looked away, with a troubled expression on her face.

"Star, you know why, don't you?" The green man asked.

"I do, but Raven asked me to keep secret what she confided to me."

"Star, she's gone."

"It is dishonorable to violate such confidence."

She paused.

"But it does involve you, so perhaps you deserve to know the truth."

"The truth? What truth?"

Starfire's face suddenly became very solemn.

"She was in love with you, and when you reunited with Terra, she was heartbroken."

The changed stared dumbfounded at the princess.

"No … that can't be true. She didn't feel that way about me, she couldn't have."

She dropped her head.

"It is true, dear friend. After you left the team and married Terra, Raven withdrew from us. She suffered great loneliness and endured it alone. I was afraid that what I saw in the future, where she became insane, was going to happen. I tried to engage her, for years. I did not relent and eventually she confessed her love and her sorrow for losing you."

Beast Boy looked absolutely stunned. He tried to speak, but only garbled words came out. He then ran back to the table where Raven's body rested. He stopped in front of her, his body trembling. Then, he screamed at his dead friend.

"Why didn't you tell me, Raven!? Why!?"

He fell to his knees and began to bawl. Starfire knelt next to him, wrapping her arms around her dear friend. He quickly regained his composure and stood back up. He caressed Raven's now ice cold face with his fingertips.

"And why didn't I ever tell you?"

_**-( scene break )-**_

Terra paced around the family room in the house. The TV was now silent as was the entire house. Jake was in his room. She had just called into work and the kid's schools to excuse everyone, as they needed to cope with the news.

Raven and the Titans frequently visited the Logan household and the children couldn't remember a time when she wasn't a part of their lives. She often gave the children presents, typically books and other educational materials. Jake and Melissa were bright and precocious for their ages, and Melissa, who was now 13 years old, often engaged Raven in stimulating and intellectual discussions.

Melissa was sitting on the couch and looked up at Terra, who continued to pace nervously.

"Mom?"

Terra stopped with a jerk, as she snapped back into reality.

"Melissa?"

The girl stood up and hugged her mother.

"Mom, why was Aunt Raven so nice to us?"

"Why shouldn't she have been?"

"I mean, why did she like us so much? Don't take this the wrong way, but sometimes I felt like she was my mother, you know, like a second mother."

Terra ran her fingers through her daughter's blond hair.

"I'm not sure, but I'm grateful that she cared so much about you."

Melissa looked up at her mother. The girl was blond and had no powers. She looked more like her father than her mother.

"You and Aunt Raven didn't always get along, right?"

Terra chuckled. "That would be an understatement. We used to hate each other's guts."

"So what happened? How did you bury the hatchet?"

Terra paused and looked out the window. The Tower could be seen in the distance.

"I'm not really sure. I guess that it just sort of happened. Actually, though, I think I know why she cared about you so much."

"You do?"

"This is going to sound crazy, and don't take it the wrong way. Your father has always been faithful to me …"

"Mom, what are you talking about?"

Terra cupped Melissa's face in her palm.

"Your father and Aunt Raven, they were in love with each other … they … just didn't know it. She loved you because she loved your father."

Melissa looked confused.

"Mom, are you serious? How can that be? Dad married you."

Terra smiled.

"It's complicated, but don't worry, your father and I love each other, very much."

The front door opened and the changeling entered the house. Terra ran to greet him.

"Gar, are you OK?"

He kissed his wife and hugged his daughter. They could tell immediately that he wasn't himself at the moment and was visibly agitated.

"I suppose … I need some time, some alone time. When I'm ready, we'll get together and talk, OK? It won't be long, I promise."

"Yeah sure, you want the family room?" Terra asked.

"Sure."

They left him alone in the room, and closed the folding doors as they left, allowing him his privacy. Gar surveyed the room, which was the family's hub, where they hung out together. The couch set looked worn, from many years of heavy use. They were planning to replace it soon, as the upholstery was beginning to fray.

He closed his eyes and recalled the many happy memories associated with the room. When he reopened his eyes the room looked different. The sofa set no longer looked worn; in fact it looked brand new. He then saw that he was sitting on the couch, holding a can of root beer in his hand.

And Raven was sitting opposite from him, on a large recliner they no longer had, drinking a cup of tea.

_**-( scene break )-**_

I warn you, dear readers, that I have no idea of where this story is going.

And thanks for all the reviews. I had no idea of how this dark story would be received; and was actually expecting it to be ignored.


	3. Chapter 3

The changeling shook his head and blinked several times, but the vision before him did not vanish. He instantly recognized the scene. It was the week after Jake was born. They had invited the old gang over for a celebration and Raven was the first one who arrived, as she teleported directly to the Logan household, which was across the bay from the Tower in the new University Heights neighborhood.

At first the vision was ghostly and as he continued to stare it solidified and he was able to hear the conversation they were having. He froze, expecting them to see him, but it was soon clear that they could not. He approached cautiously and sat down next to his younger twin, who was engaged in a lively conversation with the gray sorceress. Garfield stared at her, and it took all of his willpower to not reach out and touch her, fearful that if he did that she would pop like a bubble and vanish. Instead he sat as still as a statue and listened.

His twin was beaming at Raven.

"So how have you been Rave? What have you been up to?"

Raven took a sip of her tea before answering.

"I've been well, doing the usual: reading and meditating when we aren't fighting villains."

He continued to grin.

"I saw you capture Dr. Light on the news yesterday. You so have him whipped."

Without betraying any emotion, she replied.

"You would think that he would have learned by now that he can't win. I suppose that he never will learn."

He then gave her a mischievous look.

"So, are there any guys in your life?"

"Other than Robin and Cyborg, no."

He stifled a snicker.

"That's not what I meant."

Raven sipped her tea again.

"If you're asking if I'm involved in a romantic relationship, the answer is also no."

"Aw, c'mon, how can a pretty girl like you not have a boyfriend?"

Raven locked eyes with him.

"You're joking, right?"

"No, why would I do that?"

"BecauseI'm creepy, Gar, really creepy. What kind of guy would be interested in me?"

Beast Boy watched in awe. He remembered the conversation somewhat; it was ten years ago when it took place. But as he watched it, from his ghostlike perch and knowing the truth about how she felt about him, he hated himself for what he said next.

"What about that guy you met in the disco? You know … when we first met Blackfire."

She shrugged her shoulders.

"That was a long time ago. For all I know he went off to college and became an accountant. It doesn't matter anyway, that's the only time I ever saw him and to be honest … he was kind of boring."

"But my point was that he was interested in you."

"I'm not gonna go to Goth scene to look for a boyfriend, so give it a rest, OK?" She snapped at him.

His face betrayed the remorse he was feeling.

"Forgive me, Gar, I know you're just trying to help and I appreciate it … but … let's face it … I'm me." She apologized in her flattest monotone.

Raven's expression looked so sorrowful that real Beast Boy wanted to cry. He wanted to reach out and hug her, and tell her that she was loved … that he loved her. But his body wouldn't obey him and he sat frozen next to his younger self, who still wasn't showing any signs of male pattern baldness unlike his present day self.

"Raven, you are loved. We all love you … I love you." He managed to speak, but she could not hear him.

Suddenly, a blond three year old girl burst into the family room.

"Aunt Raven! Aunt Raven! You're here!"

The sorceress smiled as the toddler ran to her and climbed onto her lap. She ran her gray fingers through her blond hair.

"Indeed I am Melissa. How have you been?"

"Good!" The toddler replied emphatically. "I have a new baby brother!"

"I know, I came to see him."

"He's asleep right now. Mommy says we can't dis … dis … wake him up."

"It's OK; I can wait until he's done sleeping." Raven smiled. "I brought you a present, Melissa."

Young Beast Boy leaned forward.

"Raven! You're always giving her presents."

"So?" Raven replied as she produced a wrapped package and handed it to Melissa.

The young girl squealed with delight as she accepted the gift.

"What do we say, Melissa?" Her father reminded her.

The young girl smiled sheepishly and looked up at the sorceress.

"Thank you, Aunt Raven."

"You're very welcome, Melissa. Go ahead, open it."

The little girl ripped the paper off of the package, which was predictably, a book.

"It's Winnie the Pooh! But he looks different."

"That's because this is the original Winnie the Pooh, not the Walt Disney version. Would you like me to read it to you?"

The girl nodded enthusiastically and squirmed into a comfortable position on Raven's lap. The sorceress opened the book and began to read it to the wide eyed girl. Young Gar reclined on the couch; also listening to Raven read the story, when the doorbell rang.

"Looks like the others arrived. You guys keep reading … I'll get the door."

The doorbell rang a second time and with no warning the vision disappeared. Gar reached out to where Raven had been sitting, but she, just like the old recliner, was gone. The doorbell rang a third time, this time in the real world.

"I'll get it." Terra shouted.

_**-( scene break )-**_

Everyone was crowded into the family room. Starfire and Nightwing sat on the loveseat. Cyborg, Flash and Jinx occupied the couch. Gar and Terra sat in a pair of wing back chairs while Melissa and Jake, along with twelve year old Mar'i Grayson, sat on the carpeted floor. Hugs and pleasantries were exchanged and everyone was now sitting in an uncomfortable quiet.

"I ordered some pizzas." Terra broke the silence. "They should be here soon."

"Thanks Terra." Nightwing replied and paused for a moment. "There's a lot to talk about."

"I'll say there is. I want to rejoin the team, but Nightwing says I can't." Gar blurted out.

Terra turned and glared at her husband.

"No. Way. Garfield Mark Logan, you are not going back into the superhero business."

"But Terra."

"I said NO!" She snarled at him. "Not even if you were Superman!"

Nightwing placed a hand on the changeling's shoulder.

"Interesting that you should say that Terra. I've been calling in every favor that's owed to the Titans. Even the Young Justice League offered to help us, which means Superboy will be helping us too."

"Dick … this is really important to me." Garfield pleaded.

"Forget it, Gar, I'm not going to incur Terra's wrath. Plus, you haven't been a superhero in over ten years."

"So what? It's like riding a bike; you never forget how to do it."

"No, it's not. Remember when Bane broke Batman's back? Azrael had to fill in for him. Eventually, his back healed, but Bruce had to retrain, for a long time, before he could wear the cowl again … look Gar … I know this isn't what you want to hear, but you really aren't fit right now to wear the spandex. I'm not saying that you're washed up, because you're not. But right now, you're not in superhero form."

Clearly frustrated, Garfield stared at the floor.

"So what am I supposed to do? Just sit here while strangers, people who never knew or even met Raven, take this new Brother Blood down?"

Nightwing shook his head.

"Not at all. Gar, I have a very important job for you. It's one that only you can do."

The changeling's pointed ears perked up.

"Now you're talking! So what do I do? Do you want me to track Brother Blood down?"

"No Gar, nothing like that … I … we need you to write and deliver a eulogy at Raven's funeral."

Beast Boy stared dumfounded at Nightwing.

"You want me to do what?"

"Gar, this is really important. No one was closer to Raven than you. I'm certain that she would have wanted you to do it."

Garfield sighed. "I guess you're right … OK, I'll do it."

"Dad?" Melissa interrupted. "I'd like to help you … it would mean a lot to me."

He wrapped his arms around his daughter.

"I'd love you to help me, and I'll bet Aunt Raven would have liked that too."

They were interrupted by the doorbell.

"The pizzas are here … everyone have a seat, I'll get the door." Terra announced.

_**-( scene break )-**_

It was later in the evening. The pizza had been devoured and the adults were back in the family room, discussing the details of their plan to capture Brother Blood. Melissa and Mar'i, who would someday be known as Nightstar, retreated to Melissa's room. The two girls were very different. Melissa had no powers and was an ordinary looking girl. Mar'I had an orange Tamaranian complexion; her blue eyes glowed like her mother's. With her dark hair she looked a lot like her estranged Aunt Blackfire.

The two girls had never hit it off as friends, which wasn't surprising. Mar'i would be a superhero when she got older, Melissa would just go to college and live an ordinary adult life, other than the fact that their parents were superheroes they had very little in common. Things were different today, however. One of the few things they had in common was taken from them, ruthlessly snatched away with no warning. The two girls, who rarely socialized, now had something to share.

Mar'i noticed that there was a recent portrait of Raven and Melissa on the wall. The young princess looked at the portrait silently, then at the bookcase next to it, which was full of books.

"Aunt Raven gave you all those books?" She asked.

"Yeah, she did."

"She hardly ever gave me books."

"What did she give you?"

The princess shrugged.

"Stuff. She never did figure out what to give me. Heck, even I don't what I like. She tried all kinds of things: toys, books, computers, clothes … she even gave me a dagger once."

"A dagger?" Melissa snickered.

"Yeah, you know, Tamaranians are supposed to be warriors."

"You are half human."

"I don't look human … I don't feel human. I … I don't know what I am. Maybe that's why Aunt Raven never knew what to give me. Heaven knows she tried."

She traced her fingers across the books in the case.

"But Aunt Raven did understand you."

Melissa sat on the edge of her bed and sighed.

"Aunt Raven was my hero." The blond announced.

"Well, she sure kicked butt."

"That's not why she's my hero." Melissa interrupted.

"What do you mean?"

Melissa stood up and paced around her room.

"I'm an ordinary girl, Mar'i. I don't have superpowers. Do you have any idea of how that made me feel? Here I was, surrounded by people with powers. I don't know how your dad handles that."

She paused.

"But Aunt Raven taught me that I wasn't weak, because I have a brain."

She began to choke up.

"And then this jerk … he took her away from me ... I hate him …"

Mar'i wrapped her arms around Melissa and hugged her.

"She's still with us, Melissa. And she's right, you aren't weak, and neither am I."

The Tamaranian walked over to Melissa's desk, where she left her handbag. She opened it and pulled a strange looking hand mirror from it, which she handed to Melissa. The blond looked at the macabre looking mirror with a puzzled expression.

"Aunt Raven told me to give this to you if anything ever happened to her."

Melissa stared into Raven's meditation mirror.

"What do I with this?" She asked.

Mar'i shrugged her shoulders.

"She didn't say."

Melissa continued to stare into the mirror. She inexplicably felt drawn to it and caressed its surface with her fingertips. She then locked eyes with Mar'i.

"I think I know what to do."

She looked back into mirror, staring into its depths, and whispered.

"Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos."

Her room suddenly vanished.


	4. Chapter 4

Melissa suddenly felt disoriented. Mar'i had been standing next to her but she was suddenly gone. All she saw before her was a meadow. The sky above was bright and cloudless and the temperature was mild. It was also utterly silent.

"Hello!?"

There was no reply. She slowly turned and still saw nothing but meadow, as far as her eyes could see.

"Aunt Raven? Are you here?"

Again, there was no response.

"What is this place?" She murmured to herself.

Apparently, someone heard her question. Right before her eyes, the local branch of the public library materialized almost instantly. It was a spacious and airy building with large windows, a place she knew well as she and Raven visited it together many times. She peered through one of the windows, and saw there was no one inside.

"OK, this is weird." She whispered as she walked to the entrance. "But then again, Aunt Raven specializes in weird."

The library's entrance was a large brick arch that had sliding glass doors. As she approached they opened automatically, the way they always did. She stopped at the entrance and once again peered into the library's interior, which remained vacant. The library did appear to be open, it was well lit and the computers were turned on. After waiting for a long moment she shrugged her shoulders and entered. The reference desk was straight ahead, in the hub of the library. She remembered that you could see every place in the building from there, and she trotted over to it, hoping that from that vantage point she would be able find someone in the library. Upon reaching it she began to look around, but still saw no one.

"Is anyone here!?" She called out.

"I'm here." A familiar voice replied from behind her, nearly causing her to jump out of her skin.

She spun around and confirmed that it was indeed who she thought it was.

"AUNT RAVEN!"

The gray sorceress replied with a soft smile.

"Hello Melissa, it's good to see you."

The young teen fling her arms around Raven.

"You're not dead!" She replied as she began to sob. "You're alive!"

"Did I die?"

Melissa released her.

"You don't remember?"

Raven ran her fingers through Melissa's hair.

"I suppose it makes sense that I died. I told Mar'i to give you my meditation mirror if I died. But to answer your question, I don't remember. In fact, there's no way I could remember my death."

Melissa's face suddenly looked both troubled and perplexed.

"Aunt Raven, you aren't making any sense. How could you not remember? Brother Blood killed you."

The sorceress looked off into the distance before she replied.

"That's unfortunate, anyway, the reason I don't remember my death is because Raven left an imprint of herself before she died."

"An imprint? What are you talking about, you aren't making any sense? And where are we? Is this some place in the spirit world? That sure would explain a lot."

Raven shook her head.

"Forgive me for the confusion, Melissa, for I am only an imprint. As for where we are, we are in your mind. The library is our meeting place because we spent so much time together in the one in the real world."

Melissa frowned.

"So this is all an illusion?"

"It is."

Melissa fought back the urge to cry.

"So, are you fake too?"

"No, not entirely. Raven left an imprint of herself in the meditation mirror. She did this before she died."

"I don't know what that means." Melissa sobbed. "Are you my Aunt Raven or not?"

"I am. Like I said, I am an imprint. Raven stored a copy of her most basic self in the mirror. In other words, she stored a subset of her memories, her emotions and her personality in the mirror, enough so that you could reconstruct me in your mind. In the strictest sense Raven is not here, as her soul has departed this world. But much of what defined Raven was preserved in the mirror. Unfortunately, it's not possible to preserve everything. Sadly, most of my memories have been lost."

"So you're nothing more than a dream?"

"If was reconstructed only from your memories, that would be true. I am more than a dream or an illusion, for I remember much of Raven's life. So from that point of view, I really am Raven."

Melissa smiled hopefully upon hearing the last words.

"If you really are my Aunt Raven, is it possible to bring you back to the real world?"

Raven shook her head.

"It is not. Since Raven has moved on, I do not have a soul; therefore I can only take form inside your mind."

Melissa crossed her arms and frowned.

"Why did you do this? What's the point of it all if you only exist in here?"

"It was a way of preserving at least a part of me, so that I could visit with you and your father, until you are ready to let me go."

"Why me and dad? You mean this won't work with anyone else?"

"That is correct. Imprints are customized for the recipient. I could only leave two in the mirror, but even had that not been the limit, you and your father are the only ones I wished to do this for."

Raven gestured to a nearby couch. Melissa joined her and they sat together.

"You are wondering why only you and your father?"

The girl nodded.

"As for your father, all I know is that Raven had some unfinished business with him."

"Unfinished business? Wait … mom said you were in love with dad. Is that true?"

Raven smiled.

"Your father was special and very dear to Raven. Beyond that I do not know what the nature of the unfinished business is. I am certain that the other imprint, which was made for him, knows more. I'm sorry, but I cannot tell you anymore, as I simply do not know."

"What about me? Why are you here for me?"

Raven took the girl's hand.

"Melissa, you have a very special place in my heart. I knew that I would never have a mate or offspring of my own. You have been a surrogate daughter to me from the day you were born. At first I loved you because you were Gar's daughter. But as you grew and became your own person it became more than that, so much more. I also love Mar'i, but not as a daughter. I never really understood it myself, Melissa, but we have a bond that I cannot explain. You simply are precious to me."

The blond wiped a few tears away from her eyes.

"I told my mom earlier today that you're like a second mother to me."

Raven beamed as happiness radiated from her face.

"We began a journey together, Melissa, one that was interrupted by my untimely death. I was afraid that might happen, so I left a little of myself behind. I know that now I am static and cannot grow, and that you will someday outgrow this facsimile I left of myself. But until that happens I will be here for you, coaching you and cheering you on. You don't have super powers and we both know that you won't be a Teen Titan, but I know you are destined to do great things, my dear Melissa, and I will take great joy in seeing you triumph, because I love you."

Melissa turned and hugged the image of her departed aunt.

"Thanks, Aunt Raven, I love you too."

_**-( scene break )-**_

With a jerk Melissa snapped back into reality. She was sitting on her bed and still had Raven's meditation mirror in her hand. What had changed was that everyone was in her room, surrounding her, with concerned looks on their faces.

"It's OK, Terra, she's back, she's OK." The changeling reassured his wife. Terra wasn't having any of it.

"Melissa Logan! What is the meaning of this?" Her mother fumed at her. "You've been in some kind of trance for almost an hour. Do you have any idea of how worried I was?"

"Yo, Terra, chill. She wasn't in any danger." Cyborg reassured her.

"No danger? Then how come we couldn't wake her up?"

The changeling wrapped his arms around his wife.

"I told you hon, she was in Nevermore."

Melissa, who was still recovering from her strange experience, rubbed her head as she joined the conversation.

"Nevermore? What's that?"

The changeling took the mirror from his daughter.

"This is Raven's meditation mirror." He informed her.

"Yeah, I know. She gave it to me."

"It takes you into Raven's mind." Cyborg added. "Did you see any copies of Raven, dressed in different colored cloaks?"

Still looking dazed she shook her head.

"I didn't go into Aunt Raven's mind. I mean, how could I, she's dead?"

"So what happened?" Her father asked.

"I went into my own mind. And I saw Aunt Raven there."

"What!? Are you saying that Raven's soul self is in your mind?" Nightwing asked.

"No, not in my mind. She said that she left two imprints of herself in the mirror."

"Imprints?" Wally asked. "What does that mean?"

Starfire stepped forward.

"It means that Raven left a piece of her soul self in her mirror." She announced.

"Whoa! So you guys are saying that Raven isn't really dead?" Terra asked.

"Sadly, that is incorrect. It is more like a message in a bottle." Starfire corrected her.

"Aunt Starfire's right. Aunt Raven told me that she didn't have a soul, that she was only some of her memories and that she could only come to life in our minds."

"The kid's right." Jinx interjected. "She will appear and act like the real thing. You can have conversations and interact with her, but she isn't 100% real. She isn't a simulation though; she is Raven, or at least part of her. But she isn't a complete person either. She can only come to life when you enter your own Nevermore."

"I see, but what is the purpose of this? If Raven is really dead and moved on to the afterlife, it seems like this is little more than a tease." Nightwing added. "Why would she do this?"

All eyes were now on Melissa.

"She said that she wanted to be here for me. You guys know we were really close. I know it sounds creepy, but I'm kind of glad she did this."

Terra snorted. "Her middle name was creepy. Why am I not surprised she did this?"

Melissa stood up and took her mother's hands.

"It's not like that mom. She wasn't trying to be weird or creepy. It's more like an insurance policy."

"I know what you mean, Melissa … you said that there was more than one imprint." Jinx remarked.

The young girl nodded.

"There's also an imprint for dad."

"What?" Terra snapped. "What for?"

The girl shrugged her shoulders.

"I don't know. My Raven said that she didn't know, just that the other Raven in the mirror had something to tell dad, but that she didn't know what it was."

Now all eyes were on the changeling, who was still holding the mirror. Terra approached him and looked him in the eyes.

"It doesn't take a detective to figure out what she's going to tell you."

He placed a hand on his wife's shoulder.

"I know. It's obvious." He replied.

"So … why do it then?" She asked.

The room fell silent. Finally the changeling spoke up.

"Because I need the closure, Terra. I need to ask her some questions before I say good bye to her."

Terra crossed her arms. "I don't like this, not one bit."

"Relax Terra, Raven's imprint isn't going to steal your husband from you. If she was ever gonna do that, she would have tried that while she was still alive." Jinx remarked before turning to Beast Boy. "You might as well do it now and get it over with."

Gar took his wife's hand. "I think Jinx is right."

Terra sighed.

"Fine, whatever, go ahead." She replied with a dismissive hand gesture.

Gar tightened his grip on her hand.

"Terra, you know you have nothing to worry about."

Her expression softened.

"It's OK, BB, go ahead and say good bye to her."

He gave her an appreciative smile before sitting down on the edge of Melissa's bed. He stared into the mirror, whose surface appeared to ripple as if it was liquid. He saw Raven's face appear in the mirror, beckoning him to enter. He swallowed softly before whispering her mantra.

"Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos."

The next thing he knew, he was standing in front of the door to her room in the Tower, which still had her name stenciled on the door. He looked around and saw that he was indeed alone. The level of simulation was incredible; it even smelled like the Tower. He knocked on her door.

"Come in, Gar." Her voice invited him as the door slid open.

_**-( scene break )-**_

You're gonna have to wait until next chapter for their conversation.


	5. Chapter 5

"Come in, Gar." Her voice invited him as the door slid open.

The changeling hesitated, prevaricating before entering, his feet feeling as if they were made of lead and were glued to the floor. He knew well that this wasn't Raven's room, but the realism was simply overwhelming, as every nuance was present, down to Raven's aroma of jasmine and lavender. He had only been in her room on a handful of occasions, so few that he could remember each incursion. Even during the brief period when they unofficially dated each other he only entered a handful of times and he had not set foot in the sorceress's abode since he left the Titans over 13 years ago.

"It's OK, Gar, please come in. You are welcome here."

Hearing her voice sent a shiver down his spine. He still had the nightmarish image of her pale, lifeless face in his mind. Even though he knew well that it wasn't really her, he felt joy and exhilaration tingling throughout his body. His feet became unglued and stomping like Frankenstein's monster he entered the room.

Raven's room was essentially unchanged, at least as far as he remembered it. The bookcases were still loaded with dusty and ancient looking tomes, and also had mysterious figurines and objects peppered on the shelves. Strange and grotesque masks hung from the walls, staring at him as he entered. The curtains were closed and the room was lit in the amber glow of dozens of candles of all shapes and sizes and they cast strange shadows, which danced on the walls like furtive demons.

Raven was in the middle of the room, waiting for him to approach. But she wasn't the way he remembered her as of late. Her violet hair was short, in her old A-line bob. Her white ensemble was also gone and instead she was wearing the black leotard and blue cape, which she had abandoned over 10 years ago.

The two separated friends came together and shared a hug. That was when he noticed one more difference, she was also slightly shorter. Without releasing her, he spoke.

"Raven, why are you a teenager in here?"

She released him from her embrace. She cupped his face with her palm.

"This is how I want you to remember me."

He shook his head. "What? I don't get it, why?"

She took his hand and guided him to her bed, beckoning him to sit down on its edge. This surprised him, as she didn't allow anyone to sit on her bed. He still remembered the chewing out he received when he tried that once many years ago.

"Gar, since you are here, I presume that I died in the real world."

He sighed. "Yeah, you did."

"How is the team handling my passing?"

"I'd hardly call it passing. You were murdered in cold blood."

She gave his hand a gentle squeeze.

"I see, so they didn't take it well."

"No, that would be an understatement … "

He hesitated.

"Raven … you seem so … real."

"That's because there is a little of Raven in me."

"Yeah, I know, Melissa already explained it to me. You're an imprint, a snap shot of Raven's mind."

"Not entirely accurate, but close enough … anyway … I knew that my death, should it be untimely, would be a violent death. Did you see my body?"

He nodded. "Yeah, I did … I won't sugar coat it, it was pretty gruesome."

"I see. That's why I chose to present myself to you in this form. I don't want you to remember me dead in a morgue, so I chose the form I had when we … were close."

"Raven, we were always close."

"I know Gar, it's just that this was the best time of my life, when we …"

"When we dated." He completed the sentence for her.

She nodded.

"Isn't it sad, Gar? I could only bring myself to admit this to you after I died. We … dated … however briefly, we were a couple."

He lifted his arm and wrapped it over her shoulder.

"Rave, why didn't you ever tell me that you loved me?"

The imprint tensed up upon hearing the remark.

"I see Starfire didn't keep her mouth shut."

He frowned at her.

"Don't blame her, she only told me after you died. You might be an imprint, but you're just as evasive as Raven ever was. I guess you really are Raven."

Raven released his hand, and sighed.

"Do you even need to ask why?"

"Yeah, I do."

"She raised her hand, gesturing at her room."

"Garfield, look around you. Is this the room of a girl you want to spend your life with?"

"It's just a room …"

She shook her head.

"Gar, I need to ask you to forgive me. We never should have gone out together. I … it happened because of something Dick told me after we defeated my father. He said that I was the most hopeful person he ever met. When I heard that, and knowing that my father was gone, I thought I could start over, with a clean slate. I even told Robin that there were always new beginnings … that must have sounded so sappy. But for a while I thought things were actually changing for me … but I was wrong."

"What do you mean?"

Raven, who looked clearly distressed, stood up and began to pace around the room.

"Raven, what's wrong?"

She stopped her pacing and turned to face him. She was biting her lower lip.

"Gar, since the day we met I've had a crush on you. Because of who I am I kept that to myself. I did let my feelings for you slip out once in a while, but my outward behavior convinced everyone that I hated you, and it worked as it kept you away from me. But my feelings only grew over time, and they became harder and harder to suppress, it got to the point where it literally hurt."

She sighed.

"When Terra first appeared and you fell in love with her I was heartbroken. But I was also relieved, as I knew that I could give up on you as I had no chance whatsoever against her. Still, it wasn't easy and in the end it was once of the reasons I despised her back then. Every time I saw her bubbly blond face, with you hopelessly in love with her … I became angry, angry that I was a creepy witch and that the boy I loved was in love with her."

Raven paused and rubbed her forehead.

"Then we lost her and I was torn. I knew my father was coming, and I was so tempted to throw caution to the wind and confess to you. But you have to understand what I was going through. After treating you so badly, after being so mean to you, I figured it was pointless, you had to hate me because of how I treated you. Then … Malchior showed up."

She paused and heaved a huge sigh.

"What a fool I was, what a pathetic, love sick loser. What could have possibly made me think that a mature wizard could possibly be romantically interested in a teenager? Had he really been who he said he was he would have given me a lollypop and patted me on the head."

"You were lonely, Rave, no one blames you for what happened. He was really slick, even when I spied on you guys he fooled me."

She shook her head.

"I almost got all of you killed because I was a stupid, lonely girl. And then the fates rubbed my stupidity in my face when you came to cheer me up … Gar … I came within an inch of telling you I loved you."

"And Cyborg ruined the moment when he clobbered me with the stupid stankball."

She shook her head.

"No, it wouldn't have happened, I didn't have the nerve, and I was worried about my emotions, afraid that I would lose control of them. But it was the closest I ever came, until we started going out together."

He looked up and made eye contact with her.

"Those were good times, Rave."

"All we did was hang out together. We never even kissed."

"It was still good."

She nodded.

"It was. But I still knew that it was doomed to failure, so I held back."

She sniffled.

"Gar, I wish it could have been different, I wish I could have been different. I wanted us to be together. I wanted to share myself with you. I wanted … to be your wife … to have children with you … but it wasn't meant to be."

"You mean Terra?"

She nodded.

"She was the one for you, the one you were destined to be with, and don't deny it. You have a solid marriage with her and a wonderful family. I couldn't have given either of those to you. And you deserved to have children who weren't demons."

"Don't say that, Raven."

"It's true and you know it. They would have been Trigon's grandchildren. There's no guarantee that they wouldn't have followed him. And that's why I quietly stepped out of the way when Terra came back. It wasn't easy, believe me. When you impregnated her and announced your marriage, I had to recluse myself, it was so painful. But it was the right thing to do."

A dead silence hung in the air.

"Raven … I'm sorry … I wish it could have been different. You knew that I love you, right?"

"I did, but … I wish I could have heard you tell me that yourself."

He sniffled.

"Yeah, it's too late now. Raven … the real Raven … she won't get to hear me. Or can she?"

She shook her head.

"Contacting the spirit world is difficult; I tried myself many times, but never succeeded. But I will be waiting for you in the afterlife. When you arrive, you can tell me then."

He chuckled half heartedly. "What about Terra? She might get jealous."

Raven smiled. "We'll have to share you."

Gar stood up and hugged Raven's image.

"So what do we do now?" He asked.

Raven released him and looked him in the eyes. She looked sorrowful.

"We say goodbye, Gar."

"What, you mean this is it?"

She nodded.

"Yes, I don't want you to linger here with my ghost. I just wanted you to see me one last time and to know that I love you with my heart, body and soul."

"But why can't I come back to visit?"

"Because there is no point in returning, Gar. I'm just an imprint. We can't have a real relationship because I'm not real. Raven understood this all too well, and that's why I'm going to erase myself after you leave. Plus you have a real life to live out there."

"What? You're going to destroy yourself? Why? Melissa said that she'll be visiting with you for a long time."

"I know very little about the other imprint that was left for Melissa. But do understand that Raven had a different relationship with her than she did with you. That's why we have to say goodbye."

An uncomfortable silence followed.

"Dammit! We should have told each other."

"Gar, please don't dwell on this. I just wanted you to know the truth."

Garfield grabbed Raven by the shoulders and pulled her towards him. He planted his lips on hers. She did not resist and returned his kiss, which evolved into a heavy make out session. Their hands became uninhibited and they lovingly caressed each other. After a blissful eternity they separated. Gar turned to the bed and looked at it.

"I suppose that would be a bad idea." He murmured to her.

"It would be a very bad idea. We shouldn't have done this at all … but … I have no regrets."

"Neither do I."

He took her hands.

"It's time for me to leave, isn't it?"

"I'm afraid so, Gar."

"I love you, Raven."

"And I will always love you."

He swallowed hard.

"So this is it then … goodbye."

"Goodbye, Gar. We will be together again, I promise."

Garfield jerked and found that he was alone in his bedroom, sitting on a recliner. Terra was in bed, asleep with a book on her chest. He sat still in the chair, looking around their bedroom. He had no recollection of being moved here from Melissa's room. The alarm clock on his nightstand showed that it was 2:47 AM.

He still had the meditation mirror in his right hand. The imprint that Raven left behind for him was now gone, lost forever. He began to weep silently, having lost her a second time tore at his very soul. He pulled himself together but remained in the chair, feeling as if the very life had been sucked out of him. After several minutes Terra rustled.

"BB?" She asked sleepily. "Are you back?"

He nodded. "I'm back."

"Are you OK? You've been gone for hours."

"Sorry, I guess I lost track of time. I'm feeling pretty tired."

"Then come to bed."

"Yeah, sure."

He stripped down to his boxers and climbed into bed. Terra snuggled up and wrapped her arms around him.

"She's gone Terra, we said our goodbyes."

"Will you be alright?"

He smiled at her.

"I will be … Terra?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

Terra kissed her husband and turned off the light.

THE END

I know that the end of this story was predictable and anticlimactic. I apologize for that. Sometimes when you swing, you miss.


End file.
